Written by

Norman Winter

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

A complementary color scheme implemented in the garden in early spring can be just the jolt you need to get you out of the cold-weather doldrums. It will really make your garden pop as it emerges from winter.

Just what is a complementary color scheme? Think about a couple whom you’ve known for a long time. More than likely you have either thought or said publicly, “Don’t they complement each other?”

In other words, they are quite different but they bring out the best in each other.

Contrast is what this color scheme is all about. The differences that each flower or plant brings creates the appeal of the combination. In creating a complementary color scheme one color comes from the hot side of the wheel and the other is its direct opposite from the cool side. Examples are red and green, orange and blue, yellow and violet.

An exciting variation of this is called the split complementary color scheme. The difference lies in that after the dominant color is chosen, colors next to the direct opposite are selected. This scheme gives you an extra color while still having high contrast.

Using orange this season really warms up the landscape. It’s a color in the garden that cannot be overlooked. It just reaches out and grabs you. Try partnering orange tulips with blue pansies for a stunning look in the garden. It’s like a spring crescendo or the finale to a dazzling fireworks display.

For best results, plant pansies in the fall, usually when they are in bloom. (You’ll have much larger blooms the following spring.) Tulips on the other hand are planted as bulbs, about 6 inches deep, and are never noticed during the time they are developing roots beneath the soil.

On a color wheel, orange is between yellow and red and is the hallmark color of the hot side of the wheel. If you have only a small area for planting, this could be the color for you as no other color would be showier for a pocket type planting.

Next winter you can do the same. Create a spring crescendo in your garden, and let it energize you in your design for the long summer gardening season that lies ahead. Keep in mind that a complementary color scheme can be thrilling.